Page 8 of Bonded

“No. Nothing aside from the fact that she’s human, of course. There could have been an immunization scar on her shoulder, which could be from a Legion asylum colony, or perhaps that is a traditional mark from a Terra Prime ritual. I’m unsure.”

A traditional marking? I hadn’t considered the possibility that there might be so much more to learn. I didn’t want her to feel out of place.

I looked down at my body. I had my own tattoos and scars from Rakothian rituals, but I would gladly take on more if there were Terran expectations. If she had branding, I would ensure I had some to complement hers.

“If it is a tradition, we shall learn it,” I said. “If it was a forced mark…well, it is no secret that humans are treated as less than among the main spiral of the Intergalactic Republic. If any had a hand in marking her against her will, I shall find them and tear the offending hand from their body. That should appease her.”

“At least that’s one plan,” Ithran said carefully. “While you were caring for your soul, I had feedback from the jacks. There were unusual markings on the pod itself. It was classified as a Stygian-class freighter. It had been floating in debris for nearly a day, so it was indeed a miracle that she did not sustain more damage. No signs of the ship itself. I had the ship’s comms hail Earth 4040 headquarters and left a message to look for a downed starcraft.”

“It would seem that we will wait for more details of her origins or destinations and accommodate her accordingly.”

“How long would the healing entail?”

“I’m unsure. It’s already been a few hours. I could see her easily sleeping for another twelve hours. I planned on checking on her prior to supper.”

“We could check on her now. Maybe she’s awakened?” I asked, hopeful. The last few times, her condition was unchanged. Vryek at least let me clothe her in one of his suits so she would be familiar with our scent.

Vryek looked at me sternly. “You heard the captain. It was a miracle that she was found intact, let alone alive. Think of her first and let her rest.”

Of course, I knew to think of her first. He didn’t have to talk to me as if I was a brainless child. “I would never endanger our soul. I wouldn’t have wakened her. Merely looked at her vitals for a few moments. I’m not an idiot.”

The rush of turmoil with a lethal edge flooded the link between us, causing the ship to lurch a bit. A warning growl emanated from Ithran’s general direction, and the emotions lessened. “You’re right, Ruzan. That was unfair of me to jump to those conclusions. You are, of course, as concerned for her well-being as I am.”

I nodded, accepting the apology. It was hard for Vryek to express his emotions, so the shared bond was a lifeline to our partnership. I hoped it would act the same for our soul.

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to check in on our newest passenger and patient. The jacks can take care of the rest of these chores. Then we shall reconvene at supper to inform the crew about the news of our latest salvage.”

I practically ran to the medical bay.

It was still quiet, and the lights shone as soon as it detected our movement.

“I’m glad we have put the med bay to use,” Ithran said. “Any equipment needed?”

“No, we had the tranqs and drugs. Nothing too out of the ordinary. It’s hard to tell what is truly needed, since no one’s needed much upkeep.”

It was true. A group of prisoners were used to patching themselves up. Especially those who were warriors in battle. No one needed to use the med bay in quite some time.

And Ithran… if he needed anything, then he’d be dead. He had spare parts to boot. A true Dirsigian soldier caste.

The pod hummed, its merry blue light a welcome sight. I peeked down through the viewing window. I couldn’t see anything. The female was small. I angled around to see if she had improved enough to shift away from view, but I couldn’t see anything in there.

“Ruzan, what are you doing?” Vryek asked.

I didn’t answer him, instead bringing up the vital chart he had placed on the pod. The vitals were active. I poked at the screen again. They had been active for a few minutes.

“Ship, what does this mean?”

The tablet turned on, but I already felt the tug on the link with the ship. “Priya’s vitals are steady.”

I choked on my next words. “Priya?” In my head, the word translated to “beloved.” “Who is Priya?” I asked, though my heart already knew. The word bloomed inside of me. That was the name of my soul.

“Priya is the designation for the human female patient.”

Vryek gestured for the tablet. “Wait, the designation of the female? How did you know that?”

“Priya acknowledged her name, and I have updated my databases per protocol.”

An icy cold tremor washed down the back of my neck even as Vryek snapped his question. “How did she acknowledge it? When did she wake up?”

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